C&C—Conference & Conversation

An advisory period merely offers the possibility of ‘advice’ given and taken. What happens within that opportunity is the nub of it. Fuzzy but fundamental qualities of caring and honesty, attentiveness both to the immediate and to a young person’s future, empathy, patience, knowing when to draw the line, the expression of disappointment or anger or forgiveness when such is deserved—indeed, those [are the] qualities which characterize us as humans rather than programmed robots.(Sizer, 1992, p. 45)

C&C Purposes

Provide a place and time for each student to build a relationship with at least one Middle School adult who helps guide advisees through the middle school years and advocate for them as needed

Increase students’ sense of community and satisfy their need to belong to a group during crucial developmental years

Provide a forum to discuss important topics and strengthen communication between the school and home

Prepare students for academic success by discussing study skills, organization, and time management as appropriate

Students and parents have one person who serves as a support and facilitator over the course of three years, allowing for a meaningful relationship to be established and flourish

C&C Advisor Role

Each teacher is the personal advisor for a group of mixed-grade students and is also the manager of the C&C advisory group, an important social and emotional component of the school.

The advisor serves as point person for communication about the student among the school, parents, teachers, and sometimes other students. When the advisor relationship is good, all other relationships in the school run more smoothly because the student feels known and supported. The C&C group is the smallest unit of community at Catlin Gabel.

C&C Meetings

C&C advisory groups meet three times during co-curricular time per seven-day rotation and every morning at 9:20 a.m.

An independent pre-K through 12th grade day school in Portland, Oregon